ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 327, 30 June 1875, Page 3

ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The monthly meeting of the Council of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society was h« Id yesterday afternoon, at 3 o’clock, at the Public Library. Pr .-cni Sir Cracroft Wilson (in the chair), llmi E. W. Stafford, Dr Campbell, Messrs H. B. Johnston, Wallace, S, C, Farr (bon secretary), Lieub-Oolonel Packe, J. A. Bird. A letter was read from Mr Bills, dated Dunedin, and stating that he should be happy to supply any birds which the Society might wish to obtain from Australia. The following letter was read from the Rev F. A. Hare : “ The Parsonage, “ Upper Riccarton. “ Bth June, 1875.

“Dear Sir, —When I was in Western Australia a short time ago I consulted the hon Mr Bailee, the Colonial Secretary, privately, on the subj.ct of exchanges for acclimatisation purposes. I asked whether, in the event of any society in New Zealand wishing to procure any of the birds, &c, peculiar to Western Australia, the Goverament of the latter colony would be willing to enter upon a system of exchange. I forward, for the consideration of the society in Christchurch, a copy of a portion of Mr Bailee’s letter, and also a list of the animals and birds which he says the Western Australian Government will supply. “ I have the honor to be, Sir, “ Your obedient servant, “ Francis A. Hare.” Extract from letter from Colonial Secretary in Western Australia.

“On the question of mutual exchanges for acclimatisation purposes you will find the Government of this colony anxious to meet your views and to reciprocate heartily with individuals or societies in New Zealand. I have for years endeavored to supply to societies in all the colonies, with, I think, the sole exception of New Zealand, such of our animals, birds, or plants as they desired to have. In exchange I have received valuable supplies of plants, and I have introduced hares, pheasants, trout, perch, and eels. Pheasants and Californian quail are the birds we most want at present.

“ Western Australia can supply kangaroos, dalzeils, bourches, opossums, and various small marsupials, wallabies, emus, black swans, gnow (native pheasants, very rare), cockatoos (black and white), and parrokeets of various kinds.”

The secretary was requested to acknowledge the receipt of the Rev F, A. Hare’s letter, and convey to him the thanks of the Council.

The honorary secretary said that he begged to report that the cost of the last shipment of birds from England was £517 10s. The curator s report was read as follows; “ Receipts by subscriptions, £6 11a; receipts by sale of stock, £33 16s lOd; total, £4O 7s lOd. Estimated monthly expense for July, £ls; ?xpenditure for hawks, &c, beyond the £ls voted in June, £ll 6s 6d; two weeks wages for an additional labourer, £3 12s; one quarter’s salary to curator due 30th June, £43 15s. The enclosure fur the trout in the Avon has not yet been completed, in consequence of the curator’s time being so fully occupied with necessary work long delayed on account of his absence in procuring salmon ova, 117 skylarks and 32 Californian quail have been purchased by the secretary, and all liberated with the exception of five pairs of skylarks purchased by his Honortbe Superintendent as a present to his Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, Mr P. A. Weld." The expenditure recommended in the curator’s report was voted. The following persons were recommended to his Honor the Superintendent as rangers —Alfred White, Glendui, Ashley; William Parkerson, Leithfield; Thomas Ottery Rayuer, Temuka; James Guild, Flaxton. Mr Wallace moved —“ That the curator furnish a return of all unpaid accounts contracted by him for the society to July 26th. 1875, the amounts of each, and to whom due; (2) a return showing the amount due to the society, if any, and by whom; (3) to lay on the table for inspection at the next general meeting all books in his possession belonging to the society.” Dr Campbell seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The hon secretary brought under the notice of the Council the fact that the curator was in the habit of conducting correspondence of the society, and copying the same into a private letter book. He did not object to the curator carrying on correspondence as to his department, but he objeettd to letters connected with the society being in the curator’s private letter book, as they ought to be the property of the society. In reply to Dr Campbell, the Curator stated that he considered the letter book to be his private property. Dr Campbell moved—“ That a sub-com-mittee, composed of Colonel Packe, A. Duncan, and J. A, Bird, be appointed to take steps to extract all letters relative to the Acclimatisation Society from the curator’s private copy book, and report to the next meeting.” Mr Wallace seconded the motion, which was agreed to,—The Council then adjourned.